Solar Power Benefits
What we really want to know is how solar power benefits me? Ok I promise we’ll get to that but you should at least read how solar energy works to benefit us all (including good ole Mother Earth) by reducing yours, mine and our carbon footprints. Carbon footprint is defined as “the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person”. 
This is more commonly expressed as an amount of carbon dioxide, since this is a gas known to the average person, and people can understand and relate to it better. Thus the term carbon footprint actually refers to GHG, carbon dioxide and other similar harmful gases. Unfortunately much of out daily activity releases carbon dioxide and increases our carbon footprint.
In a normal year consuming energy, the average American citizen has a carbon footprint of roughly 36,000 pounds, or 18 tons. Contrarily, solar power has a carbon footprint of exactly zero so this is a prime solar power benefit and one of the main advantages of solar power. Let’s take a look at some advantages anddisadvantages of solar power , and examine the solar power pros and cons to see if this is a viable option to replace our current energy providers.
I know what you are thinking. “Great, solar power will help our environment, health and wealth, but it is super difficult and expensive to set up!” Actually, that is one of the mythical solar energy disadvantages supported by energy companies and those who profit from traditional energy sources. They would have you believe that solar energy costs outweigh the solar power benefits of savings that you’d get. And when you add the fact that solar power is unlimited (one of the main advantages of solar energy ), there really is no reason to ignore harnessing solar energy to power our energy-hungry lifestyles.
On a clear, sunny day, 1 kWh (kilowatt hour) is broadcast onto a 1 square meter surface at sea level per hour. On a typical sun-filled day, approximately 6 kWh of total solar energy can be captured from this relatively small area. That works out to a total of 180 kWh every month, and just 5 square meters is enough to replace the average American’s electricity consumption each month. It easy to see that one of the main benefits of solar power is that it’s inexhaustible.
However, there are many advantages anddisadvantages of solar power to take into account before you start building your personal solar power station. A little known fact about solar power concerns its source. Did you realize that you are legally entitled to sunlight? Yep, it is against the law for anyone to build a structure that blocks your “solar exposure” thus encroaching upon your solar power benefits.
This means that our government is fully aware of the benefits of solar energy and its amazing powers. This also applies to trees and natural impediments on your neighbor’s property. You are within your legal right to have trees trimmed and hills reduced if they block the sun’s life-giving rays.
If the legalities of solar power are not enough to consider, how about looking at our foreign energy dependency? Let’s be real here! The phrase “energy independence” has been bandied about for the past 30 years. Isn’t it time we did something about it? We all have a personal and quite possibly physical investment in this wonderful resource.
Reducing and even eliminating our overseas oil providers far outweighs any and all solar energy costs of production. Every single kWh that we harness is done so right here in the good old USA, and means we cut off the greedy hands of OPEC overnight, putting more money back in our pockets. To me this is truly one of the main benefits of solar power.
But what about electricity you say? Electricity might be the single most important aspect of our everyday lives, and we continue to use more every year. It powers so many things in our daily routine, and every year sees more technology that hungrily devours this energy source. But did you know that most electricity is harnessed from burning coal? We would immediately enjoy the solar power benefits of eliminating this carbon dioxide producing, massive carbon footprint.
How about electric vehicles? You see them touted everywhere as environmentally friendly. Sure, they help us cut the demand for overseas oil, but they still need the above-mentioned coal to produce the electricity that powers them. That means just moving from one environmentally poor energy source to another.
Once again, you only have to look skyward for the answer. There are certainly many solar energy pros and cons, but the pros far outweigh the cons, and this is just another instance where solar energy disadvantages simply can’t be found. Some municipalities even offer special energy rebates for those people that charge their electric cars with solar power. Hopefully, that trend will continue and spread in the coming years.
Solar power is also strongest in the afternoon, when the energy draw is the heaviest. This means that solar power would
drastically reduce, if not totally eliminate, blackouts. A battery backup could be set up to guarantee no energy reduction. So we can see that there are many ways how solar energy can be used in our daily lives.
But no discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of solar power would be complete without looking at the costs of solar energy. Before gaining any solar power benefits you need to know that most of the cost of harnessing solar power is upfront. And there is no guarantee from one year to the next how much our sun will help us in our efforts.
There are also building codes, seasonal trends and local subsidies to take into account. But harnessing solar power does not have to be an end-all do-all. We can always fall back on other energy providers as a backup plan.
Unscrupulous contractors, upfront costs, and annual upkeep are all solar energy costs you need to be aware of. You are going to be in charge of repairing your own solar panels, and they sometimes freeze in winter. So start small, and become knowledgeable about all aspects of solar power.
Just begin with a small photovoltaic cell on your roof, monitor energy costs, and expand slowly, and before you know it you will reduce your carbon footprint and put major money back in your pockets. The advantages of solar energy far outweigh solar energy disadvantages, so if you want to enjoy the solar power benefits that will help both you and the plane get started today.
Constructing a Solar Light Tube
So you are at the point where you want to use a solar energy productto use in your own home? You may start with a terrific solar energy product called a solar light tube. Ok you may ask, “How do I install this solar tube?” This article will guide you through tapping into home solar power by installing a solar light tube in your own home.
Check out this great solar power video about installing one of these. It’s just a little bit more then 3 minutes long.
Solar light tubes, also known as tubular skylights, are really a good do-it-yourself solar project with a potentially big return. Through putting some thought and effort into this project, you will not only be satisfied with the result, but you will also have saved yourself on the cost.
Before you bring your project, I would like to review the benefits that you will receive from the result of installing solar tubes. A solar tube lighting system collects sunlight on the roof and transfers it to a diffuser through a pipe. The result: a bright room on a low budget. Not only will the room be bright, but it will remain cooler than if you were to use conventional lighting.
So now you are to begin your project. You ask, “How much will this solar energy product cost?” Take for instance a $250 solar tube that transfers only three 100-watt light bulbs for eight hours a day. This solar tube will pay for itself in 19 months, so in general, the cost will be at one-tenth the heat.
Next, you want to consider the location(s) in your house where you will receive the most benefit from installing a solar tube. Take a walk around your house and look for any dark corners in highly used rooms, for example the family room. By installing the solar tubes in your family room, you will replace light that gets used the most. Furthermore, consider installing these tubes in dark, isolated bathrooms, as the natural light has a very calming effect. Another great place to install the solar tubes is in a dark kitchen. If this room is used a lot by your family, or if you enjoy entertaining your friends with parties and food, the cool tone of the natural light will be well appreciated.
After selecting the location(s) in your house, you will need to gather the appropriate tools for installation. The tools you will need are a jigsaw, a sheetrock saw, screwdrivers and some other basic tools. It is also a good idea to look at the installation instructions before you buy a unit for the complete list of tools that you will need. In addition, you will need the requisite nerve in order to saw a hole through your roof. It is essential that you locate the proper hole in your ceiling before you begin to cut. Once you find the proper location, you can use the jigsaw with a sharp blade to cut through. If you do not feel comfortable completing this part on your own, I would recommend hiring an expert to assist in installing the solar tubes.
In addition, please refer to the installation directions for a complete step by step guide in installing your solar tubes. It is always best to buy a complete kit as opposed to separate parts with just about every solar energy product that’s on the market. This will ensure that you have all of the proper parts to guarantee you will have a smooth and safe process. Furthermore, once your tubes are installed, it will be beneficial to take precautions to seal against the weather. Most kits will come with the appropriate silicon sealant for protection.
By assessing the cost, location, and tools you will need to install solar tubes in your home, you will be well on your way to retrieving the benefits from the natural and cool lighting that will be added within your rooms. Most of all, have fun with the do-it-yourself solar project, and enjoy the satisfaction you receive from completing a cost saving project within your home with a really cool solar energy product.
The Micro Inverter – To Buy or Not To Buy
The micro inverter is a hot new trend in solar power modules. Some day, they will probably be used in most PV systems, and be the norm rather than the exception. But as of right now, they are high risk and unreliable. They work like this. Every PF panel is fitted with its own micro inverter, the output of the panel is AC, just like your household power and that of the electrical grid. Therefore the amount of these mini inverters is equal to the total number of PV panels.
Each of these mini-mites delivers its very own AC power, and all the micro inverters in the panels must match each other 
in wave form and wavelength to work properly. This is a super difficult arrangement electrically, and a special electrical box needs to be added very close to the PV panels. The AC power from the inverter channels through this collector box where it is combined into one channel and routed in a more traditional manner to your main power meter or fuse box.
That is the hard part, but the good thing about micro-inverters is their simpler design. They also need no complex calculations to hook up, and there is no DC to AC transfer to deal with. Also, panel types can easily be switched out and mixed. One really odd side-effect that is positive; shade does not affect the overall PF system as harshly.
When one panel is shaded, it’s no big deal since the other micro inverters are producing at full power. So if your project is going to deal with lots of shade, the inverter is the way you want to configure your system. And if one panel dies, quits, or is damaged, you only lose that panel, not the whole system.
Having said that, the technology is day-old-new. That means waiting a while to get more results and input as every new purchaser is basically a solar guinea pig at this point. And like all new technology, micro-inverters are expensive right now. You will spend about $0.40 more per watt of energy production, and in a common 4,000 watt system, that means $1,600. However, in a really shady application, you could have that back in a year or two.
Some specifications to keep in mind:
CEC Rated Power output – this number is the max wattage output you can get, and is variable according to operating temperature.
- Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) range – these circuits allow the micro inverter to maximize their efficiency, and produce the highest amount of power possible in a 24 hour period.
- Maximum recommended PV input power – this is never to be exceeded, and is the number for all the panels combined. If this number is surpassed by all the panels in combination, inefficiency reigns, and you have a “clipped” circuit. Basically, micro inverters must be married to each panel correctly, and you can ensure proper model structure by comparing PV watts of your inverter in comparison with the array you are building.
- PV Start Voltage – This is the PV level that needs to be reached to start your system. As soon as the first ray of light hits any panel, it begins to output power, but an inverter needs a certain level to be reached before they will start transferring power out. Obviously, you want your system outputting power to your grid as soon as possible, and to run all day.
Overall, if you had to judge an inverter by one characteristic, it would be efficiency. Manufacturers only report numbers of peak efficiency when the system is running perfectly. Before you choose, look at the efficiency range over a wide spectrum of diverse conditions, and judge output load, temperature range, input power and other rigrid traits. This will ensure you get the best micro inverter overall.
Solar panels made Easy
Solar power panels are the lifeblood of any solar energy plan, whether you want to build your own solar panel to power a few lights, or you intend on constructing an entire solar panel house. They are the first step in the collection and harnessing of solar energy. Without them, no solar project, not even making a small solar panel can get underway. But exactly how do solar panel systems work?
Regardless of what solar panel project you you jump into a homemade solar panel and a store-bought solar energy panel are very similar. Let’s look at how they actually take sunlight and create energy.
Home solar panel systems and huge commercial solar panel systems work the same way. Photovoltaic (transforming light into energy) cells are arranged on a thin film solar panel . This thin sheeting is then mounted onto some type of flat rectangular frame, and angled to face the sun. These solar panels collect heat from the sun’s rays. This heat is transferred to common household electricity by a solar inverter.
The electricity then usually runs through a charge controller before being stored in batteries for later use. This is why solar panel efficiency runs so high. There are very few steps involved, so very little energy is lost in this process. Unlike electricity, which is most commonly created by burning coal and storing energy at some distant power plant, solar energy is clean and localized. You own your own solar power plant.
Simplicity and pride are also some of the reasons so many homeowners opt to build their own “ homemade solar panel “. It is fun, educational for the whole family, and can be started on any budget. The size of solar panels can be tailored fit to your specific needs and space limitations. And you can start small and ramp up production as your budget allows. Even though making a home solar power panel is relatively easy, the low cost of “ready-to-go” all in one home solar panel systems has most consumers purchasing rather than learning the processes of solar panel construction .
A home solar power panel is generally used to collect sunlight for conversion into energy for lights and heat. This is a very simple process for the “average Joe” to understand. He can feel the heat and see the light the sun emits, so channeling the solar panel output to things like water heaters and light bulbs just makes sense. Most of the monthly energy cost savings to the normal homeowner is created by these two applications. However, these are not the only ways that solar power panels can be employed in a home solar panel project.
Did you know that solar ovens are quite a common feature in the modern solar energy-powered home? Obviously requiring a lot more solar energy than light bulbs or water heaters, many solar power panels requiring much space are used to collect the energy needed to heat and oven to 400 degrees. This means more batteries, a larger solar inverter, and more upfront cost.
Other household devices that can benefit from solar energy are solar powered dishwashers, solar powered freezers and solar powered refrigerators. You can even use pool solar panels to extend your pool season for your family. Yes, just because the sun’s energy is initially hot does not mean it cannot be converted to cooling energy. As you can see, the incredible versatility of the simple solar energy panel cannot be overstated. Anything that runs on electricity can be powered by a solar energy panel.
Sailors, professionals and outdoors-men alike, have long understood the power of the sun’s rays, and used them to harness energy. Imagine being out in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight, when your battery dies. It is very reassuring to know you have a battery backup that has been charged by energy collected in solar power panels built onto your boat.
So, whether you want to build your own solar panel or purchase pre-made all in one home solar panel systems, the going is fun, easy and low-cost. The savings are instantaneous, you help create independence for you and your family, and lessen your impact on Mother Earth. All in all, harnessing free energy through the use of solar power panels is something you can begin to employ and benefit from today. As you can see there are many uses for solar energy .
Solar Power Inverter
The 2nd most expensive part of your home solar system is the solar power inverter. These devices are the heart of your intertie system. They convert the solar panel’s low voltage, high current electrical signals and turn them into something we are all very familiar with – good ole 120AC. The AC of course is compatible to tie into the power grid – hence the term “intertie”. See your getting smarter by the sentence!
Inverters range from $.70 – $1.00 per watt so in a typical home you can expect to pay about $2500-$3000 for a good solar power inverter. It’s important to get a quality inverter since this is the weakest solar link in your home solar system.
The cool thing about inverters is that if you get an over sized one you can add more solar panels later for more power. So here’s a suggestion. As long as the price-point’s not crazy why not get two small inverters that are equal to your solar needs? This way if you have an inverter problem you’ll only lose half your system until you can get the bad one replaced. Yes these things do breakdown – no system is perfect!
There are two different types of inverters: string inverters and micro-inverters . We’ll be discussing only string inverters here since the micros are kind of a new product and we want to stick to the tried and true. String inverters are just large boxes that are typically mounted near you circuit box or the electric company’s meter. If you’re using two inverters they can be mounted “in parallel” to each other.
Your solar panels will be grouped into “strings” so that they match up with your inverter’s specs-more on that in a bit. It’s probably best to let an electrician design and perform this tying in. You must keep your panel in evenly grouped multiples so you don’t overload your inverter. For example, let’s say you have a 12 panel array with four series of three panels that are connected in parallel.
This is fine but you can’t have 11 panels because there are no grouping multiples that equal 11. Another important panel consideration is that you should use identical panels. Do not cheap out and buy mixed panels and expect to tie them all in together. It’ll ruin your system’s efficiency.
String inverters are the cheapest type of inverters (compared to micro-inverters) with a wide variety of reliable manufactures to choose from. Here are some articles with more detail on five of the most well known inverter manufacturers:
- Solectria Inverters
- Xantrex Inverters
- Fronius Inverters
- SMA Sunny and Windy Boy Inverters
- Pv Powered Inverters
Since a string inverters are easily mounted in convenient locations they are easy to maintain. But it’s not all peaches and cream with string inverters. When you group the “strings’ of solar panels they will need to be laid out in the sun but if one or more of the panels gets “shaded” the entire string pays the price. The total inverter energy output will start to degrade. Similarly if one of the panels goes bad or breaks the system output is cut considerably.
Look for these solar power inverter specifications:
PV Start Voltage: Tells you when the inverter starts to convert the power from your solar arrays. This give the true inverter efficiency since all inverters need a minimum power input before they can start to convert into AC. The stronger the required sun-rays need to start converting the less efficient your inverter will be.
CEC Rated Power output: This is the max output wattage the inverter delivers over different operating temperatures.
Maximum recommended PV input power: This tells you what the inverter’s max input power should be from your solar panel array. You need this spec to help you size your system. If you exceed your invert’s capabilities you’ll get a real inefficient inverter.
Solar power inverter features to look for.
You’re looking to get the most efficient inverter you can afford. Manufacturers love to cite peak efficiency as a selling point for their inverters. Don’t be fooled. This peak is only reached at max load when the sun is strongest. You want to see the efficiency over a variety of conditions such as: input power, temperature and output load. So inverters that only show high efficiency for one number are not giving you the whole story.
Solar Power the Cheap Way
Okay, so you really can’t solar power your home for $5, but you can get started that cheaply. Solar power garden lights start at $5, and are simple lights mounted on a stake with a small solar collector mounted on top. You stake them wherever you need night time safety and accent lighting outdoors, around your walkways, garden paths and driveways. They collect the sun’s rays during the day, and release this light at night when they sense low light situations. This simple and visually striking solar energy application illustrates how simply and inexpensively we can harness the free, limitless power of the sun.
You can take it a step further and install solar security and floodlights under the eaves of your house and carport. These lights can be as cheap as $15, and work in the same manner as the garden lights. They absorb sunlight in the day, and then illuminate whenever there is motion within their sensor range, allowing for safety and security, while not adding any draw to your electric bill.
And if you want a low-cost way to transfer some of your money going out of your wallet right back into your pocket, solar power your home by adding a couple of solar sky lights to your home. A solar sky light kit can run from $100 up, but quickly pays itself off, and allows you to begin to see a tangible depreciation in your monthly power bill. It is merely a typical looking skylight, but instead, the light is funneled through a highly reflective solar tube to anywhere you need light. You can reach every area of your home, and stop wasting electricity at the same time.
Another low cost way to install a home solar power system cheaply is by the addition of solar power attic vents. They look in every regard like a normal attic vent, but use solar energy to power themselves rather than electricity. Your attic is cooled, which means your house is much easier to cool, and all it costs is the initial cost of the solar power attic fans, which generally cost $100 and up.
You can even solar power your home for free by simply timing certain activities for different times and locations. Reading a book on the sofa during the day with table-lamp light? Turn it off and move to the patio, using natural sunlight. Open blinds and drapes wide, and then survey the available light. You may find that you are just turning many lights on out of habit, rather than necessity.
Once you start to solar power your home you will find it hard to stop. As savings add up, you will happily look into larger projects, like solar power hot water heater systems. They could cost you from $1,500 to $3,000 initially, but they generally pay themselves off in 42 to 60 months, then every time you use hot water after that, you are getting free energy! And these projects are subsidized by Uncle Sam, meaning a nice rebate check and or tax break, and they pay themselves off faster every time your energy rate is raised by your utility company.
Starting off cheaply to solar power your home is a great way to reap the benefits of solar energy without much cost. It also helps you to fully understand the whole solar power process, and makes it easier to ease into larger, more financially rewarding projects. So begin to solar power your home today in some small, inexpensive way, and a totally solar powered home, and free electricity, is just around the corner.
Home Solar Power
Home solar power used to be the talk of science fiction. Now it is science fact, and it is common to see homeowners 
harnessing solar power for the home, and creating some self-dependence and financial savings. Solar power flood lights and solar power water heaters are two of the more popular initial steps you see when people make the decision to lessen their negative environmental impact and solar power their homes. These are just two of the many home solar energy systems that are widely available to even the most modest of budgets.
An all-in-one home solar power kit is one of the most popular home solar power systems on the market for use in solar power for homes . From the standard residential solar power kit that powers just a few lights, to a whole-home solution, many people prefer to have all the required solar devices, plans and tools in one ready-to-go package. This way, instead of having to educate themselves about solar power wiring, photovoltaic cells and the like, they can simply contact a contractor trained to install devices that safely provide solar energy for homes, and reap the rewards.
Regardless of the level of sophistication of any residential solar energy plan , there are certain things that must be present for you to build your own solar power generator. Whether constructing a simple solar power attic fan or solar power pump, or something as complex as a homemade solar power system for solar power backup systems or just a solar power pool heater, you have to have the following items.
In order to create solar energy for home use, a home solar energy system must employ a solar power inverter to convert the DC (direct current) electricity that is created by the system’s solar panels. This power is unusable for most homeowners’ needs, and has to be switched to AC (alternating current) power. AC is the electricity that powers home appliances and meshes correctly with the electric power grid. The solar power inverter is the most important and most expensive piece of equipment you will need when you solar power your home.
Some type of photovoltaic panel has to be in place to collect the sun’s rays and transform them into electrical power. As mentioned above, this is DC power, and needs to be sent to a solar power inverter, where it is then made consumable. Photovoltaics, in layman’s terms, is basically the conversion of light into electricity.
Okay, you have your inverter, you have your photovoltaic home solar panel , and you have captured the light from the sun, converted it into DC power and then inverted that into AC power that you can use. What else is needed to get your home solar power plan in high gear and start saving you money?
The next necessity in any home solar plan, whether it constitutes a portable solar power generator or simply storing this energy for solar backup power, is to get the energy where you need it. This is handled with the appropriate solar power wiring connected to a solar charge controller. Think of this as the switchboard, where you will regulate the amount and flow of your electricity. This is the hub of all home solar power systems .
Now all that is left is to hook up the devices you want to power. As said before, you can start off slow with a few solar power lights, and ramp up your effort after you see some results. Or, you can start off big and have your entire home run by a complete home solar power kit.
As you can see, the biggest solar cost of setting up a residential solar power system is up front. You have to buy the supplies and pay a contractor. But that is the beauty of solar power. There are very little financial costs in upkeep, and government tax credits and monthly savings offset those costs admirably. If you can handle the initial outlay, it is a no-brainer.
If you are reading this article, you understand the importance of limiting your dependence on foreign oil suppliers and saving money while at the same time helping lessen the devastating impact burning fossil fuels like coal has on our planet. Start with cheap, easy, or small solar projects , or go big. Whatever your decision, get started implementing some level of home solar plan today and take advantages of the many uses of solar energy in your home .
Solar Energy Pros and Cons
To understand the solar energy pros and cons it’s a good idea to start with an understanding of your carbon dioxide footprint. This “footprint” is a measure of how much carbon dioxide you’re releasing into the environment by virtue of your energy-consuming habits. A typical American carbon dioxide footprint is around 36,000 pounds (18 tons) per year.
Solar, however, has no carbon footprint. To generate solar electricity you don’t need transmission lines and all the associated inefficiency. Most importantly there is an unlimited solar supply. At sea level, on a sunny, clear day, 1kWh of sunlight energy is falling onto a 1-square meter surface per hour. Over the course of a sunny day, you can realistically expect to capture around 6 kWh of total energy from this same surface area. That’s 180 kWh per month. Five square meters is enough to completely replace a typical monthly power bill. Although this may seem to be a clear solar power advantage it’s just not that simple. There are some disadvantages of solar energy as we’ll see in a bit.
Did you know that you have legal rights to your sunlight? That’s right; it’s one of the little known solar power facts that nobody can build upwards so that your solar exposures are affected. Government acknowledges value in the amount of sunlight that hits your home. They know that one of the disadvantages of solar energy is that shade greatly inhibits its potential.
The government also knows that when weighing the solar energy pros and cons of investing in solar power they want to insure you’re able to maintain this valuable solar resource. You have a legal right to demand that your neighbors remove trees and other impediments to your solar access. If a neighbor’s trees are shading your property, you can do something about it.
Another “con” to consider with solar energy pros and cons is that solar power relies on Mother Nature’s generosity, and this varies from region to region. If you watched the weather before you’ll really be paying attention now. The timing of your energy use does not coincide with solar energy availability which is at its peak when the household power demands are minimal. So it’s out of phase with you need.
Want some more disadvantages of solar energy? Let’s talk about paper! You’ll need to work around building codes. Bureaucrats are a big hassle, and interfacing with government agencies is frustrating. Here’s a tip, only select qualified contractors who install complex solar systems. They’ll know the county building codes and how to schedule inspectors or handle the problems that may entail a lot of technical details.
Always be alert for unscrupulous contractors. Here’s how to protect yourself. Don’t look just at the price; look at the system’s long-term reliability. Pay attention to the amount of experience the contractor has. Get conversant about solar power. The less you need to trust the contractor’s performance claims the better off you will be. You’ll know if he’s exaggerates the future system’s performance. Before diving into this alternative energy it’s helpful to know all of the advantages and disadvantages solar power.
There’s also some physical work associated with solar power. Solar water heating panels can freeze up in the winter so you need to pay attention. If you power most of your home with solar then you’re on your own for upkeep and repairs. You’ll need to consider the condition of your roof before you install solar panels. Solar panels will affect other roof maintenance tasks.
Now all of these “cons” in solar energy pros and cons are offset by money. Let’s face it we are in it to save some bucks. If that’s not enough of a motivating factor then freeing ourselves and finally gaining independence from foreign oil should be the impetus! Let’s finally get OPEC behind us! Do we really want to keep sending our hard earned dollars to these countries that laugh at us? Solar power is domestically produced and every kWh of solar energy that we produce reduces our demand for foreign oil sources by the same amount.
Electrical power is our most important form of energy consumption and electrical consumption is increasing every year because electricity may be used in so many different ways. Solar power directly supplants the need to produce electrical power – the majority of which comes from coal-burning power plants. Some people believe that we need to promote electric vehicles, which use batteries for power.
These batteries need to be charged, and the current scenarios call for plugging into the grid for the power. Doing so will result in a huge increase in grid-powered electrical demand, which in turn means that we’ll be using a lot more coal and emitting a lot more carbon dioxide. An ideal solution is to use solar power, instead of the power grid, to charge the batteries. In some communities, special rate structures are available for those who charge their electric vehicles with solar panels.
Solar power systems generate their maximum outputs during the afternoons, when the sun is shining the brightest. Therefore, solar is a perfect solution to the peak power problems that are becoming more and more common across the country. By installing a solar generating system with battery backups, you’ll be largely immune from power blackouts. Yes it’s true that one of the big “cons” in solar energy pros and cons is that going solar requires an upfront expense. Additionally the cost of going solar varies from year to year. Your timing is an important concern because predicting how subsidies will change is impossible.
To understand the character of the many solar energy pros and cons it’s not a bad idea to start small. You can always expand your solar system. You can invest in a small photovoltaic system for your rooftop and then expand it as you go, spreading the investment costs over a long period of time. The best way to understand the character of solar energy is to start with the simpler products.
Solar Energy In a Residential Setting
The most desirable characteristic of residential solar energyis obviously the money you can save, in the form of monthly electric bill savings and government subsidies, but there are many other great benefits as well. Solar power is a totally clean-energy production, creating no pollution, sludge, harmful by-products or refuse. You are not only saving money, but you are lessening our harmful impact on the environment, and the air you breathe. For some, this environmental plus is enough to get them going on a solar power project, but the benefits don’t stop there. Solar power helps reduce our dependence on foreign oil providers as well. Less money overseas means more money staying right here in America, so you are helping the economy also. And the feel-good effect of providing a smarter, cleaner, healthier way to live for our children can not be understated.
And implementing a solar energy plan in your life needn’t set you back your life’s savings, or take all your time and energy. One of the biggest myths concerning setting up a solar power generation system in your home involves cost. Many uninformed people are propagating the erroneous belief that solar power is expensive. Actually, you can begin harnessing solar power in your home for as little as $5, and a solar water heater system is only 40% to 75% more expensive than a standard set-up, and pays itself off in as little as 4 years. And once any solar system pays itself off, you are enjoying totally free energy for years, since most residential solar energy systems last more than 20 years.
The number of homeowners using residential solar energy increases daily thanks to the ease-of-setup, low cost of implementation and immediate financial payback. Government and local subsidies for solar energy plans in the form of tax deductions, tax breaks and outright cash incentives have become more and more accessible, and make investing in solar power even more appealing. Interested in getting started but don’t know where to turn? Ask you friends, family and neighbors if they know of anyone who has already turned to the sun for energy, and then ask lots of questions. I’ll bet you find yourself pleasantly surprised by the answers, and anxious to get started on your own plan.
Residential solar energy uses the same technology as larger business and corporate solar systems, just on a smaller, simpler level. This is one of the most inviting aspects of solar power. It is simple and we can understand how it works, because we already understand the power of the sun. This allows for you to start off small, and simply grow your solar system in size as time goes on. Since solar energy systems produce more power according to how much total solar collector surface area you have, you simply add solar panels whenever you desire more power.
Residential solar energy has become more affordable and attractive in recent years. The upfront cost is the only real financial outlay, there is almost zero upkeep and maintenance, the value of your home increases, property tax raise-protection is available and you begin to receive payback immediately. You teach your children priceless lessons about being a good steward of the planet, and independence as well. Getting a solar plan going in your life is really simple, and you can start off small and ramp up as you see results. The benefits list is long, and the negatives barely exist. So what are you waiting for? Put a residential solar energy plan in place today, and enjoy a cleaner, healthier, independent life tomorrow.
Interesting facts about Solar Energy
It seems everyone is looking for interesting facts about solar energy. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that this free source may be the cure to the world’s insatiable energy appetite. So not surprisingly solar has become the latest buzz around the planet. With more and more people and governments looking to find alternate sources of energy, solar energy is coming of the age. Everyone knows that the Earth system gets power from the sun and many forms of power have their source in the sun, but it took ages for us to really understand this and reap the benefits of solar energy directly.
We can thank solar cells for this. Ok let me put my accountant’s hat on. We can now trap the sun energy onto these cells and harness the power to run our appliances. After your initial investment you only need sunlight (free) as an energy source to get power for your home energy needs. Now I’ll put on my Greenpeace hat. Here’s another interesting fact about solar energy. Did you know it only takes one ton of sand to provide the needed silicon used to make solar power panels which equals the 500,000 tons of coal needed to burn for an equal power output. Back to my accountant’s hat- the use of solar power has been found to cut up to fifty percent of water bills where an electric heater has been replaced by a solar one.
Want some more interesting facts about solar energy? Did you know that experiments with photovoltaic gave Albert Einstein Nobel Peace Prize in 1921? These photovoltaic (PV) panels even generate power when there are clouds. It’s the sun’s rays that are converted into power and not the heat from the sun (unless we’re talking solar hot water heating). In a PV cell it is the light that reacts with silicon on the panel and generates an electrical charge that gives power to run the appliances. The electrical current generated from solar panels is direct current (DC) and needs to be converted to alternate current (AC) to be used in for home appliances. There’s a device called an inverter that performs this function.
Adding to the list of interesting facts on solar energy is that the energy the sun provides in one day is far more than what the entire human civilization would use in a year.
The solar panels are highly durable and can last for about twenty-five years. Most of the panels come with a warranty of twenty-five years or so. These solar panels have a great feature in that they are modular making it easy to add more panels if needed. So you can install a smaller system and can later add to the panels to increase the power capacity of your home solar system.
Other interesting facts about solar energy are that its power, magnified by reflectors, can melt steel or rocks! One of the nicest things about solar (besides being free) is that it makes itself available to the remotest of locations. It’s pretty fascinating that locations far off the power grid will be able to have electricity run their day-to-day home appliances.